I'd like to suggest a different perspective. The folks who show up here and spend money for kenneth's incisive wit and diligent analysis comprise a relatively small subset of Seahawks fans. I'm a paid subscriber who relishes the content, but I'm connected to less dedicated folks who love the Seahawks, but who also are shaken by the significant roster turnover in premier positions.
Some less analytical fans circled the wagons to defend Geno Smith and DK Metcalf last year. The loss of those two, coupled with Tyler Lockett being released was shocking. Maybe those of us who recieved the wisdom that Kenneth Arthur shared with us were prepared for it. But a lot of fans weren't. Mike Salk is a local radio host who has a broad audience.
His question may have been "stupid" from the perspective of a hardcore analytical fan of the team who understands the sport. I suspect most hardcore fans know to not put a lot of stock in the first few weeks of train camp. But, in a way, Salk fell on a hand grenade so a lot of the more casual fans could understand how to process the events of the first few days of training camp we are processed by the coaching staff.
Not everybody who watches the game and reads about it is as informed and analytical as those who subscribe here. It might be that mike salk reaches a broader audience than the Seaside Joe faithful.
I'm just saying that we would do well to leave room for others to be wrong. It doesn't enrich us to belittle others, even those whom we can rightly say should know better.
I like it when ken reassures us about the ignorance of national pundits, who portend doom for the seahawks. But I don't think we gain the credibility by belittling locals who might be serving a larger audience than the hardcore faithful.
Plus, it seems like McDonald did a good job of standing up for himself!
I love the content here and I love the following that Kenneth has garnered. I'm just trying to share a different way to look at it. Go Hawks!
I think we all agree with not belittling. However, Salk gets paid to ask questions and help fans understand what’s happening with the team. It’s his job.
His question was lazy at best. A question about MMs approach to OTAs and what he’s evaluating would have been a better question. You could then reference the fact that Darnold had a few picks and ask how MM processes that.
I think bad journalism is the primary reason that fans get surprised by certain moves. I honestly don’t think JS went into the offseason planning to trade Geno and DK (I do think the writing was in the wall for Locket with respect to his contract vs production).
But you gotta plan for the worst and hope for the best. JS clearly understood there was a chance that they would not keep those players and was prepared to pivot when that happened.
It was a dumb question, but I loved MM's response. He could have taken it seriously, or been completely dismissive, or just flat out angry about it. Instead, he explained the absurdity of the question while informing the audience of the intent of the practice and culture he wants to cultivate. He took a dumb question and still provided a substantive response.
I've heard it said, "there are no stupid questions... just stupid people asking questions". To me, this means that smart people that are about to ask questions have the wherewithal to stop, think twice, then decide not to ask. The stupid people go ahead and ask.
I don't mind Brock or Salk at all. Is every question a useful one? No. Do I generally get something out of the dialogue? Usually. Bump, Brock, and Wyman are all ex football players and ex Seahawks, so that knowledge alone helps them ask more pertinent questions about football than the casual fan will know to even ask.
I appreciate content creators supporting each other. You see it a lot on Youtube, as a number of Seahawks content creators will collaborate on each others channels. It's good to see, and it shows a respect of different perspectives, some that don't align with their own. And it supports each others businesses as well.
In this day and age, I'm all for showing a little grace to others. It's too easy to tear other people down, and there is far too much of it going on already. People are just out there making a living, and doing their thing.
Mike MacDonald is smart enough to know that Salk is a fan, and will ask fan type questions that are sometimes irrational. He also knows Brock is a jock, and will ask football questions. Patience with the media is a job requirement for head coaches. It comes with the territory. So no, he won't lose patience with Brock or Salk. He's smart enough to navigate questions that are silly, poorly asked, or unanswerable. It's his job.
And I thought his answer was fantastic and hilarious. So no complaints here.
After reading your comment, I have adjusted my opinion and come around to your perspective.
If Salk feels he represents the stereotypical irrational fan, while Brock represents those in the know more, then it makes sense for him to ask the stupid question that is probably in the heads of the rabid irrational fan listeners. So, he may actually be asking the question that a lot of the listeners have in their heads.
A lot of folks are going back to 2012 and asking 'could it happen again?', and I think that's a legit question. I believe it's improbable (at least I hope it is), but I have no issue with the question. The contract stuff always weighs in on this, but if the Seahawks 'will always do what's in the best interest of the organization', then if QB1 isn't getting it done, then....
Glad to have an excuse to give an AM710 POV! I listen a fair amount when doing boring chores & driving. I listen least to Brock & Salk - 6-to-10 a.m. If you think their football commentary is bad, try their baseball commentary! In season, they do the 9:30 am Monday post-game HC interview for better or worse. Salk seems like a radio click bait guy - Skip Bayless wannabe? Brock has his moments, he's a bit too smarmy (softball questions) for me.
Salk has his moments- PC's last year when Salk asked "...are the players getting your message?" PC snapped, "I don't know, ask them, next question..." Hard-nosed question, fateful answer.
The best AM710 pairing is 10 a.m.-2 p.m Michael Bumpus/Stacy Rost - They're the most prepared, least fanboyish - have good guests & regularly open lines for listener comment, it's interesting.
Ken, you'd make a good guest commentator on their show and have a good time... Bumpus in particular, was a very successful HS head coach and explains at the nuts & bolts level.
Bob & Dave, 2-to-6 p.m. are consummate Hawk/M's fanboys - light's on, nobody's home.
They have great guest commentators & sometimes ask decent questions, though they may not comprehend the answers: as when Mark Schlerith and at least 2 other guests answered Dave that "DK wasn't an elite receiver & Hawks probably wouldn't renegotiate in 2025..." Dave is in a loop on DK running down Budda 6 years ago...
Anyway, AM710 sports jock is a tough job but someone has to do it. 2 outta 6 ain't bad ;-)
The business part is that AM710 makes money broadcasting Hawks & M's. Other stations have lost broadcast rights when teams judged that broadcasters have been overly critical/negative, which a real heart & soul fans might see as being incisive & genuine.
We're left with a bunch of AM710 fan boy shows, more used to the PC "play the game - don't say it's a dumb question - just give em a 2000 word dumb answer." JS goes along this way too.
As Macdonald ups the Hawk game, maybe AM710 will realize he challenges Salk et al to up their games!
I didn't hear the Salk interview and might be way off here, but there is another way to look at this. Maybe Salk was trying to give the coach an opportunity to sound a ringing endorsement for Sam Darnold and put a once-and-for-all end to such stupid questions. "Hey coach, I'm going to give you a couple of slow-pitch softball questions. Swing for the fences."
Good on you Ray. Fairness demands alternatives. That very well could be. Sam's the Man now, for sure. MM's proving to be an exceptional Leader. I doubt Salk would fall on his sword for him, though. Or maybe he didn't factor in SSJ... As Butch Cassidy once said: "Who are those guys...?"
Let's see, the QB throws like 15 TDs (6 to Cooper Kupp), 2 ints, and struggles to find an open receiver a couple of other times, and pods are in crisis. Forget the fact that the complete defense starting unit was intact on the field, and the offense had barely begun to learn an entirely new system. Were the pods genuinely alarmed, or did they smell a whole 24 hour news cycle of click bait? Mike, you are under no obligation to suffer fools.
I was always under the impression than the best players played
and started.What happens if Drew LockOutplays SD and just looks like then better player.Not saying it will happen but it it could.
Why would any coach box him self in like that?If he felt SD needed a vote of confidence
That in inself is a matter of concern.
Stupid is as stupid does…
I'd like to suggest a different perspective. The folks who show up here and spend money for kenneth's incisive wit and diligent analysis comprise a relatively small subset of Seahawks fans. I'm a paid subscriber who relishes the content, but I'm connected to less dedicated folks who love the Seahawks, but who also are shaken by the significant roster turnover in premier positions.
Some less analytical fans circled the wagons to defend Geno Smith and DK Metcalf last year. The loss of those two, coupled with Tyler Lockett being released was shocking. Maybe those of us who recieved the wisdom that Kenneth Arthur shared with us were prepared for it. But a lot of fans weren't. Mike Salk is a local radio host who has a broad audience.
His question may have been "stupid" from the perspective of a hardcore analytical fan of the team who understands the sport. I suspect most hardcore fans know to not put a lot of stock in the first few weeks of train camp. But, in a way, Salk fell on a hand grenade so a lot of the more casual fans could understand how to process the events of the first few days of training camp we are processed by the coaching staff.
Not everybody who watches the game and reads about it is as informed and analytical as those who subscribe here. It might be that mike salk reaches a broader audience than the Seaside Joe faithful.
I'm just saying that we would do well to leave room for others to be wrong. It doesn't enrich us to belittle others, even those whom we can rightly say should know better.
I like it when ken reassures us about the ignorance of national pundits, who portend doom for the seahawks. But I don't think we gain the credibility by belittling locals who might be serving a larger audience than the hardcore faithful.
Plus, it seems like McDonald did a good job of standing up for himself!
I love the content here and I love the following that Kenneth has garnered. I'm just trying to share a different way to look at it. Go Hawks!
I think we all agree with not belittling. However, Salk gets paid to ask questions and help fans understand what’s happening with the team. It’s his job.
His question was lazy at best. A question about MMs approach to OTAs and what he’s evaluating would have been a better question. You could then reference the fact that Darnold had a few picks and ask how MM processes that.
I think bad journalism is the primary reason that fans get surprised by certain moves. I honestly don’t think JS went into the offseason planning to trade Geno and DK (I do think the writing was in the wall for Locket with respect to his contract vs production).
But you gotta plan for the worst and hope for the best. JS clearly understood there was a chance that they would not keep those players and was prepared to pivot when that happened.
Crazy question!!! This is why a HC should have VERY LIMITED press opportunities in early season chats!!
Funny overreaction story about throwing interception in practice....and it's Geno!
https://raiderswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2025/05/28/geno-smiths-interception-raiders-ota-seattle-seahawks-fans-celebrating/83903619007/
It was a dumb question, but I loved MM's response. He could have taken it seriously, or been completely dismissive, or just flat out angry about it. Instead, he explained the absurdity of the question while informing the audience of the intent of the practice and culture he wants to cultivate. He took a dumb question and still provided a substantive response.
I've heard it said, "there are no stupid questions... just stupid people asking questions". To me, this means that smart people that are about to ask questions have the wherewithal to stop, think twice, then decide not to ask. The stupid people go ahead and ask.
I think the shoe fits here
Like most talking heads, Salk is an idiot. End of story!
I don't mind Brock or Salk at all. Is every question a useful one? No. Do I generally get something out of the dialogue? Usually. Bump, Brock, and Wyman are all ex football players and ex Seahawks, so that knowledge alone helps them ask more pertinent questions about football than the casual fan will know to even ask.
I appreciate content creators supporting each other. You see it a lot on Youtube, as a number of Seahawks content creators will collaborate on each others channels. It's good to see, and it shows a respect of different perspectives, some that don't align with their own. And it supports each others businesses as well.
In this day and age, I'm all for showing a little grace to others. It's too easy to tear other people down, and there is far too much of it going on already. People are just out there making a living, and doing their thing.
Mike MacDonald is smart enough to know that Salk is a fan, and will ask fan type questions that are sometimes irrational. He also knows Brock is a jock, and will ask football questions. Patience with the media is a job requirement for head coaches. It comes with the territory. So no, he won't lose patience with Brock or Salk. He's smart enough to navigate questions that are silly, poorly asked, or unanswerable. It's his job.
And I thought his answer was fantastic and hilarious. So no complaints here.
After reading your comment, I have adjusted my opinion and come around to your perspective.
If Salk feels he represents the stereotypical irrational fan, while Brock represents those in the know more, then it makes sense for him to ask the stupid question that is probably in the heads of the rabid irrational fan listeners. So, he may actually be asking the question that a lot of the listeners have in their heads.
A lot of folks are going back to 2012 and asking 'could it happen again?', and I think that's a legit question. I believe it's improbable (at least I hope it is), but I have no issue with the question. The contract stuff always weighs in on this, but if the Seahawks 'will always do what's in the best interest of the organization', then if QB1 isn't getting it done, then....
Glad to have an excuse to give an AM710 POV! I listen a fair amount when doing boring chores & driving. I listen least to Brock & Salk - 6-to-10 a.m. If you think their football commentary is bad, try their baseball commentary! In season, they do the 9:30 am Monday post-game HC interview for better or worse. Salk seems like a radio click bait guy - Skip Bayless wannabe? Brock has his moments, he's a bit too smarmy (softball questions) for me.
Salk has his moments- PC's last year when Salk asked "...are the players getting your message?" PC snapped, "I don't know, ask them, next question..." Hard-nosed question, fateful answer.
The best AM710 pairing is 10 a.m.-2 p.m Michael Bumpus/Stacy Rost - They're the most prepared, least fanboyish - have good guests & regularly open lines for listener comment, it's interesting.
Ken, you'd make a good guest commentator on their show and have a good time... Bumpus in particular, was a very successful HS head coach and explains at the nuts & bolts level.
Bob & Dave, 2-to-6 p.m. are consummate Hawk/M's fanboys - light's on, nobody's home.
They have great guest commentators & sometimes ask decent questions, though they may not comprehend the answers: as when Mark Schlerith and at least 2 other guests answered Dave that "DK wasn't an elite receiver & Hawks probably wouldn't renegotiate in 2025..." Dave is in a loop on DK running down Budda 6 years ago...
Anyway, AM710 sports jock is a tough job but someone has to do it. 2 outta 6 ain't bad ;-)
The business part is that AM710 makes money broadcasting Hawks & M's. Other stations have lost broadcast rights when teams judged that broadcasters have been overly critical/negative, which a real heart & soul fans might see as being incisive & genuine.
We're left with a bunch of AM710 fan boy shows, more used to the PC "play the game - don't say it's a dumb question - just give em a 2000 word dumb answer." JS goes along this way too.
As Macdonald ups the Hawk game, maybe AM710 will realize he challenges Salk et al to up their games!
Good point, Mike: >>stations have lost broadcast rights when teams judged that broadcasters have been overly critical/negative<<
Re the business part, isn’t Salk the station manager?
no, he is not
Aha, didn’t know that. So that's how he gets by with mediocrity.
It'll be interesting to see if he modifies his shtick now that MM called him on it.
Idiots like this have jobs, and I'm unemployed for a year. This society makes no sense.
What type of job are you looking for? Maybe someone here can help
Good Fortune, Largentium !
I didn't hear the Salk interview and might be way off here, but there is another way to look at this. Maybe Salk was trying to give the coach an opportunity to sound a ringing endorsement for Sam Darnold and put a once-and-for-all end to such stupid questions. "Hey coach, I'm going to give you a couple of slow-pitch softball questions. Swing for the fences."
Doubt it Ray. SSJ has the interview link, after you watch/listen to MM. Only ringing endorsement was MM telling him he's crazy. (thank you MM!)
This is AM710 tried & true - Cultivate controversy, increase listeners!
What's juicier than a QB controversy?
Last year AM710 was always "...we know Geno's the guy, but...."
Very little about Geno's wet TP O line.
Good on you Ray. Fairness demands alternatives. That very well could be. Sam's the Man now, for sure. MM's proving to be an exceptional Leader. I doubt Salk would fall on his sword for him, though. Or maybe he didn't factor in SSJ... As Butch Cassidy once said: "Who are those guys...?"
Glad SJ calls ths kind of BS out, we are better fans for it.
Let's see, the QB throws like 15 TDs (6 to Cooper Kupp), 2 ints, and struggles to find an open receiver a couple of other times, and pods are in crisis. Forget the fact that the complete defense starting unit was intact on the field, and the offense had barely begun to learn an entirely new system. Were the pods genuinely alarmed, or did they smell a whole 24 hour news cycle of click bait? Mike, you are under no obligation to suffer fools.
Dear Mike Salk,
It’s better to keep quiet and have people THINK you’re an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Sincerely,
Seattle Sports listeners
Yep.